A Game of Fire and Ice
by basti.santiago
Summary: AU, reason for why is in the chapter. When Robb returns to White Harbor to receive the arrival of his mother after he sent her to Essos, he gets an unexpected ally, one that could change the game of thrones for good
1. Chapter 1

This is basically and AU where there are a specific number of events happened that led to where my version is right now.

1. Robb carried a shield while besieging the Crag, therefore he suffered no arrow wound, denying his meeting with Jeyne Westerling

2. He had also left an extra two thousand men-at-arms at the Stony shore and an extra five hundred archers at Moat Cailin, so when the Ironborn invaded, they were repelled at Moat Cailin.

3. since his father's death, he is slightly more ruthless than his book and series counterpart, but only to his enemies.

4. He sent his mother to Essos to recruit Sellswords so Catelyn and a special had a chance meeting in Slaver's bay.

**ROBB**

"Won't be long now, your grace, White Harbour's only a few days away" said the Greatjon as they rode side by side with his other Lords, leading a hundred men back up North to join the reinforcements Catelyn had promised, "a surprise" her mother had called, nothing seemed to make her mother happy anymore, but what happened in Essos seems to have changed that.

"How many men did your lady mother get from Essos?" asked Lord Robett Glover.

"She didn't say, but she seemed happy about it" Robb replied as he adjusted his grip on the reins and sped up a bit.

"Must be a lot, not a lot of things that can make Lady Cat happy since Ned's passing" Lord Umber said.

"Aye, that we can agree on Umber" Robett nodded as the pair matched Robb's pace, they had been marching for three hours since the last stop, where they had broken their fast, Robb felt humble when he ate the same stew thousands of his men ate, but the light stomach pains he gained soon after ensured that he would not be eating meat stew any time soon. He grumbled as he clenched his stomach, it uttered some unsettling sounds, which meant he would have to take to the woods soon enough.

"Not used to Slop, your grace?" the Greatjon chuckled.

"No, it was quite good though" Robb nodded.

"Give it a few weeks, you'll stomach should get the message eventually" the tall Lord of the Last Hearth replied.

"He's right, when we were fighting the Targaryens, we had Slop nearly every day of the month" Robett Glover replied.

"Fill your belly with some sausage and hard cheese after you take a trip to the woods, your grace" Lord Umber said.

"Aye, I most certainly will" Robb said.

Most of the men Robb took north were mainly men from House Tully and House Mallister, banners of silver trout and eagle flew freely in the cool breeze, winter was encroaching however, and the cool breezes would turn into freezing chills. Robb hoped that his Mother had brought along a large number of men, even with all the might of the North and Riverlands, he had less than thirty thousand men under his command, while the Lannisters had nearly thrice the number, thanks to Joffrey's betrothal to Mace Tyrell's daughter. Dorne and the Vale had yet to choose sides however, but he had envoys being sent to the bloody gate and Ravens being sent to Dorne, all he wished for was to get a reply, which was more than the Martells were willing to give after he sent them the first Raven nearly a month ago.

"Still no word from Lady Lysa or Prince Doran, your grace?" asked Lord Jason Mallister.

"I'm afraid not" Robb said shaking his head.

"Once we take down Casterly Rock, the great houses will smarten up a notch" Lord Umber said.

"Aye, the Tyrells might even flock to us if they see the Lannisters lose their castle" Lord Glover said.

"I'm surprised the Dornish have stayed clear of the war this long, considering they hate the Lannisters"

"But I reckon they hate the North too"

"What's to hate? It was those yellow haired shits who killed their princess and her children, King's Landing was sacked by red cloaks long before Lord Eddard and King Robert arrived"

"Yes, but the Dornish are quick to be angered, but slow to forgive"

"That we can all agree on" Robb said.

"Is it cold in White Harbour? I don't think the clothes I packed are thick enough" said Ser Brynden the "Blackfish"

"It's a bit cold, no Last Hearth but you'll still get frostbite without a proper coat" Lord Umber said.

"I'll just have to buy one, then" the blackfish said.

"I coat fine enough for a Tully should set you back a couple of silvers" Robett laughed.

"Just a simple one would do for me"

"Simple coat for a simple man" Lord Mallister said.

"Not that simple, I do love myself a fine Arbor red" the blackfish said. It had been a day and a half since they departed Riverrun, and left the bulk of his army there, a hundred mounted lancers should be enough to see them safely to the North's only major city, a few hours later, the crossed the Twins and after exchanging courtesies with Lord Walder and his issue, were allowed passage into the North, the road travelled close to the Neck, Robb swore he could see a few men from House Reed looking on from the thicket, but he could not be sure of it, they were excellent in the way of stealth after all. A few minutes later, his stomach and he finally had to give his breakfast back to nature, he went into the thicket accompanied by three northern guardsmen, and came out nearly half an hour later.

"Done milord?" Lord Umber.

"Aye, I'm done with slop I reckon"

"We should keep moving my king, you should be the first thing your lady mother sees after two months away with half that time at sea" said Jason Mallister.

"Aye, and the second will be me" laughed Ser Brynden.

"I reckon you'll be the last thing she wants to see" huffed Robett Glover.

Robb mounted his horse as the three guardsmen returned to the column as the convoy proceeded as planned. It was a good thing all of them were horsed, bringing along bannermen on foot would have made their journey take nearly twice the length, but with all of them mounted, they travelled at a decent gallop, and would reach the outskirts of White Harbour before noon tomorrow. The next day arrived and all the men and horses were tired from the journey, so the lords spent the night under Lord Manderly's hospitality in New Castle, the next day, they broke their fast on a vast banquet sponsored by the Manderlys, it ranged from simple things like eggs and bacon to exotic delights from Essos and beyond, after every Lord had surely eaten their fill, they went to the harbour to await his Lady Mother's return, they had taken seat on the lighthouse, which provided a commanding view of all ships coming and going within dozens of miles away.

"Lucky mermen" Lord Umber said.

"Aye, all we can see from Deepwood motte is snow, lots and lots of snow" Robett Glover said.

"Less ships but Seagard had a similar view, the sea gets quite boring when you get used to it" replied Jason Mallister.

"Nothing but trading carracks for the last few weeks" said Lord Wyman Manderly, who had joined them.

"What of your galleys and dromonds, my lord?" Robb asked.

"All of them are prowling the seas for ironmen, I would sooner die than let those raiders capture my beloved city"

"What if they arrive while all your ships are out patrolling, like now, not a single galley in sight" Robb said.

"I do not send my ships out without a plan, they have a schedule to follow, My Lord Admiral sent out a war galley and four cogs not two hours ago, a patrol of the same size is set to return any moment now, but the winds must not be kind to their captains, and even if the ironmen get here, the city has strong walls and a trained garrison at all times" Lord Manderly said.

"The Iron Islands are on the other side of Westeros, unless they mean to take months to get here, theyd be intercepted by Lord Redwyne or the Dornish ships before they get within a thousand miles from here" Jason mallister added, instilling confidence in Robb.

"What was the ship you loaned to Lady Cat?" Robett Glover asked, standing from his seat, he made out a small speck on the horizon.

"It was a…Dromond, largest ship I had, two hundred feet long bearing Direwolf banners on every sail, could hold more than two hundred men and lots of provisions, but the provisions could be omitted, since I also sent them off with a cog holding nearly half a year of supplies for two hundred men.

The speck in the horizon grew clearer, the they all saw that they were trailed by at least three dozen transport galleys, followed by nearly forty small cogs, no doubt carrying supplies and stewards.

"Well, it seems your Lord Mother has indeed delivered, Your Grace" Lord Umber said.

"Aye My Lord, that she has" Robb said, it was strange that nearly all the ships that carried the reinforcements had pitch black sails and dark brown hulls, what interested him the most was the carrack that was sailing right next to Lady Cat's ship, the _"Winter's Chill" _it, unlike the different galleys and cogs, had a lighter and more elegant hull, and dark purple sails and a banner in blood red. _Maybe that was the sellsword company's banner? _Robb asked himself, but as the carrack got closer and closer, and the Northern Lords rose from their seats and all uttered gasps of awe.

"By the Old gods" Lord Umber had exclaimed the banner was clear now, even from miles away. Robb would recognise the three-headed dragon anywhere.

_His mother had brought the fury of the Dragons upon Westeros._


	2. Chapter 2

Don't hesitate to review, thanks for the positive feedback.

**DAENERYS**

"The North, colder than I remember" said Jorah as he rested on the prow of her Queen's carrack, they were no more than a mile away from the dock now.

"The city's beautiful" Daenerys said as she admired the White structures and walls of the North's only major city.

"Lord Manderly should like that compliment, Your Grace" Lady Cat said.

"Ah, White Harbour, been here a few times before, never in this manner though" said Ser Barristan.

"I should buy some thicker clothes" Danerys said, as she rubbed her arms.

"Not to worry, we shall disembark soon" Lady Catelyn said, most of the ships on the bay had already cleared our per Lord Manderly's orders and were making way for the thousands of men Daenerys was landing, she had thirty-six war galleys, each held two hundred men when they were filled to the brim with men, over seven thousand men had been brought along with her first wave, the second wave would arrive months later with the remaining three thousand Unsullied and the Second Sons.

"It would cost a large amount of money to equip the Unsullied for Westerosi climate, your grace, especially if we're in the North" Jorah said.

"Then we must march them south"

**ROBB**

"There must be two hundred men in each of those galleys, Your Grace" Lord Umber said.

"Lady Cat brought along over seven thousand Targaryen soldiers with her, can they be trusted?" asked Robett Glover.

"Calm down, there were dozens of Dragon kings, only less than a third were mad, we should be alright, for now" Lord Jason Mallister said.

"Let's hope they don't destroy my city" murmured Lord Manderly as the Carrack was pulled into the dock, He could see her, and she could see him, She was beautiful, and just about Robb's age, her hair was as white as snow, she wore an elegant dress, made of fine silk. No such garb made sense in the North, the dock hands lowered a bridge, and eight guards with large, round shields and long spears stepped out first, followed by Lady Catelyn, Ser Rodrik and five of his men, following the Queen were two men, one who's hair was white, but due to age, and one with the obvious features of a Northerner, trailing the queen was another guard except he did not wear his helm, which had a red plumage, and a young girl that looked like she was from Essos herself.

"Mother!" Robb called as he welcomed her in his embrace.

It's good to see you Robb" Catelyn said as she pulled away and stepped to the side to reveal Daenerys already looking at them.

"You're full of surprises mother, I had no idea you'd be bringing a dragon to Westeros" Robb said, he then faced Daenerys. "Good Morning, Your Grace"

"Good morning, Your Grace" Daenerys smiled.

"I am Daenerys of the House Targaryen, rightful queen of the seven kingdoms"

"Six, your grace" answered Lord Umber.

"Oh, right, the Kingdom of the North has been restored" Danerys said. "It's a beautiful city, no doubt"

"If you'll follow me to the horses, we shall return to Lord Manderly's castle where we shall spend the night" Robb said, offering a hand.

"I will" Daenerys said, taking Robb's hand and walking with him through the streets.

"You're not dressed for this weather, My Queen" Robb said, unfastening his cloak and draping it over Daenerys' shoulders, Daenerys replied this act of kindness with a curt smile, which Robb returned.

"Thank you, but what about you?"Danerys asked.

"We have plenty of coats at New Castle, we can even have a new one made especially for you,I reckon you'll need some clothes as well, that's hardly the dress appropriate for any city north of King's Landing"

"Thank you, but what of my men? They've no clothes for this climate as well" Danerys asked.

"We can have the tailors and smiths working for a month to dully cloth your army for winter, for now, Lord Manderly shall supply them with firewood, blankets and a patch of flat ground to make camp" Robb said.

"I thank you for your hospitality" Daenerys said.

"Think none of it, so long as the Lannisters get what they deserve" Robb said.

Daenerys saw the horses and immediately mounted the one with all white fur, with Robb taking a palomino next to it, the rest of the Lords and Lady Cat followed, save for Lord Manderly, who was seeing the disembarkation of the Targaryen host. Robb then pulled out a sheepskin containing some wine, he pulled the cork out and offered it to Daenerys.

"Thank you, Your Grace" Daenerys said as she received the sheepskin and took a short sip.

"Please, I aim for us to be friends, we can't do that if we keep up the pleasantries, call me Robb" he said as he took the flask and attached the cork once again.

"Alright, if that's the case, you can call me Dany" She said.

"Alright, your rooms won't be ready until tonight, where would you like to go?" Robb asked.

"I would not mind visiting the market, or the street where they sell fabrics" Dany said.

"Alright, I think the market's closer, let's go" Robb said, spurring his horse down the street, they were accompanied by four northern guards at all times, the smallfolk were cheering and bowing as they passed.

"This city truly is beautiful, I can see why you're fighting to defend the north" Dany said.

"Aye, but all the Lords really want is to avenge my father, gods rest his soul" Robb said.

"I'm sure Joffrey will be brought to justice when we take King's Landing" Dany said.

"I should feed him to _Grey Wind _in front of his mother, then feed her next while Tywin watches on, then feed Tywin, but not Tyrion, he's probably the only Lannister who isn't a complete idiot, he was even nice to us" Robb said.

"A little cruel, if I might say" Dany said.

"Tywin giving the order to have princess Elia, your nephew and your niece killed by The Mountain was cruel" Robb replied.

"Yes, I suppose it was" Dany said.

"Alright, here we are, the marketplace. White Harbour's got some of the best silversmiths in Westeros, perhaps you can have a pin made for your new cloak once we visit the fabric district" Robb said.

"Would you loan me some coin to have one made? I don't think they take coins from Slaver's Bay" Dany said.

"Not a problem" Robb said as he fished out his purse and dug into the small pouch, and pulled out a gold dragon and four silver stags. "This should be enough for your expenses for today"

"Why, thank you Robb" Dany said as she received the coins and dismounted from her horse.

"Luwek, Wyken, take our horses" Robb said as he too dismounted and followed Dany. She was inspecting the wares they were selling, food was also being traded, some stalls sold weapons, but what Dany was really looking for was a silversmith.

"You are aware that once news of you reaches King's Landing, the Lannisters should be soiling their gilded britches" Robb said.

"Oh, I'm fully aware, and I'm counting on it" Dany grinned as she walked through the columns and rows, merchants selling everything from clothes, wine, spiced beef all the way to mystical tonics from the Free Cities.

"Were you trained in arms Dany?" Robb asked.

"No I haven't, why?" Dany asked.

"I'm only curious If the stories about the Targaryen women being skilled in combat were true" Robb shrugged.

"Perhaps you could teach me someday" Dany said, smiling.

"If you wish to, I reckon you'd love a nice shortsword, or a spear maybe" Robb said.

"Only time will tell, Lord Stark" Dany said "Ah! There's a smith right there" she pointed to a small shop hidden behind the many stalls, the smith looked to be working a small silver ring, with three rubies inlaid.

"Who is that fine piece of Jewelry for Ser?" Dany asked.

"For some Knight's wife, at least that's what he said, milady" the smith said, not taking an eye of his creation.

"Could I have you make something, a pin?" Dany asked.

"O' course, milady, what shape would ye like it in, how big?" the smith asked.

"Alright then, it's my family's sigil, a curled, three headed dragon" Dany said.

"A dragon?" the smith asked, the smith's head propped upon looked upon Dany, and saw her silvery white hair and her vibrant purple hair and gasped.

"You're a Targaryen!" the smith exclaimed.

"Yes, is there a problem?" Robb asked.

"N…No, Your Grace, T'would be me pleasure" The smith said, setting aside the ring and putting a small chunk of pure silver into the furnace. "I'll get started right away, milady" the smith said.

"It's, quite alright, Ser, I don't think we'll be leaving for another month, not until my men are properly equipped" Dany said.

"Bringin' it to them Lannisters eh?" the smith asked. "Them bastards killed me son, he was part of Lord Stark's household guard, he was"

"My apologies ser, ill see to it that you are well compensated" Robb said.

"Thank you, milord" the smith said as he took out the silver, now a molten liquid in a hard iron cast.

"This should serve as down payment" Dany said, placing half the silvers Robb gave her on the table. "I'll come to fetch it in a few days"

"Aye, milady, thank you, Your Grace" the smith said.

"What's your name, mate?" Robb asked.

"It's Willem, Your Grace" The man said.

"Good man" Robb nodded as he tapped the man on the shoulder and gave him a nod as he went out of the shop, followed by Dany.

"I've never had a pin before"

"I'm sure It'll be beautiful" Robb smiled.

"Your Graces" said Ser Jorah, coming over in a tall, grey mount.

"What is it Jorah?" Dany asked.

"I came here to tell you that most of the Unsullied have taken up camp and our rooms at New Castle are ready" said Jorah.

"Thank you, we'll be there"

"Lord Manderly has also organized a feast in your honour" Jorah said.

"Oh, how nice of him" Dany said.

"Yes it is, shall we go?" Robb asked.

"We shall, where are the horses?" Robb asked as he scanned the surroundings for his men tending the horses, but he saw no trace of them, he decided to asked one of the merchants.

"Excuse me, have you seen four Northmen tending some horses?" Robb asked a Dornish wine merchant.

"No, My Lord, but perhaps I can interest you in some fine, Dornish red?" the merchant asked.

"No, thank you" Robb nodded as he continued walking and finally saw the four men, the two were still atop their horses and the other two were holding onto the reins of Robb and Dany's horses.

"There they are" Jorah pointed as Robb and Dany uttered a sigh of relief and mounted their horses.

"Good eye, perhaps you could lead a detail of my cavalry for scouting" Robb said.

"It would be an honour, your grace" Jorah nodded.

"Would you like to settle in to your room, or visit the fabric district?" Robb asked.

"The fabric district, I need some thicker clothes, or this coat would not help any longer" Dany said.

"Very well, Ser Jorah, could you tell them we'll be there within the hour?" Robb asked.

"I'll tell them immediately" Jorah said as he spurred the horse in the opposite direction toward New Castle, while Robb, Dany and the guards went a different way, toward the fabric districts, after Daenerys had bought a dress of fine, but thick wool, which insulated her body very well, she also bought her own coat, and promptly returned Robb's coat.

"Those clothes suit you well, Dany" Robb said.

"Well you look quite, strapping" Dany laughed, Robb looked at his armour, and saw that most of his steel plate was tied down using leather straps, quite a lot of them.

"I get it, clever" Robb chuckled. Robb wondered for a while if he had a future with this girl, but he reluctantly put those thoughts aside, _"I'm to be married to a Frey" _Robb thought. _"I won't go down in history as Robb the Oathbreaker" _

"What's wrong?" Dany asked, noticing a solemn look on his face.

"Oh, nothing, I just remembered there was still a war on" Robb shook his head.

"A war that we can win" Dany said, taking Robb's hand. "Together, as allies"

"Right, we'd best get to Lord Manderly's castle" Robb said.

"I agree, wouldn't want to miss my own banquet" Dany said as they spurred their horses toward the castle, the military presence increased as they reached the castle, first it was just patrols of three to five men, watching for thieves and rapers, then it moved on to groups of fifteen to twenty, who were marching to and from the Unsullied camps, bringing blankets and other items to keep them warm, once they had arrived at New Castle, they were surprised to see a small host had gathered beneath its walls, there were at least three hundred northmen assembled there.

"Sarjeant, what's with all the men?" Robb asked to a Stark bannerman of higher rank than Lord Manderly's men.

"Didn't you hear, your Grace?" the Sarjeant said. "The Greyjoys attacked the Riverlands, The Twins are under siege"


	3. Chapter 3

Oh, hello there! Before you read the first POV from different factions, I have several questions about the fates of some characters, what do you think should happen to Jorah? Banished from Daenerys' sight or brutally killed during an ambush by the Mountain? I'll also need ideas on how Stannis will fit into the story, since there's someone with a legitimately better claim than him.

**VICTARION**

"Climb you cunts!" Victarion ordered, shouting at his men to scale the tower on the northern side of the Twins, he had to admit, these archers were good, of the four hundred he took with him to take the castle, sixty had already been felled by boiling oil and well-placed arrows.

"But milord, they've too many archers" said a man-at-arms beside him, Victarion looked at him angrily and shoved him to advance, he charged for a few seconds before an arrow found it's mark in the man's throat, throwing him to the ground and killing him, a pool of blood collecting where he lay, Victarion then raised his shield to his chest, just in time as an arrow buried itself in his shield, he raised his sword and swung it downward, tip pointed at the tower not a hundred yards in front of him, the Ironborn launched the second wave, a further hundred men also brandishing climbing spikes, he then rushed towards the nearest rope and tossed away his shield, scaling the wall with much less hindrance , he had this one opportunity while most of the archers and crossbowmen were occupied with the attacking second wave, with much effort, he was able to scale the wall and jump into a window, managing to kick the archer back, the man fell backwards and tried to regain his footing, Victarion drew his sword and brought it downward at the man's chest, piercing through the boiled leather jerkin and surely shattering his rib cage, he coughed spatters of blood before Victarion left him to die, two men had followed Victarion through the window by then, which would help greatly as he ran into a group of six defenders, three of whom had pikes, Victarion's men engaged them immediately, one of the men with pikes lunged at Victarion with his spear, he easily dodged the spear and caught it's shaft, holding it with his hand , he pulled the spearman towards him and drove his long-sword though the man's stomach, he withdrew it quickly leaving the man to clutch his stomach in pain, as the man dropped, the other behind him had a shield and an axe, Victarion set his sights on him next, his men had also killed their foes and had already begun fighting the next two men, the man rushed toward him, and brought his axe downward for a slash, but Victarion used his sword's blade to swipe away the slash as it met nothing but air, he then tried to elbow the man but he brought his shield up in reply, the impact sent pain in his arm as he recoiled his form for another thrust, the man then tried to get Victarion by swinging at him sideways, but Victarion caught his axe with his sword, Victarion quickly drew a dagger and drove it through the man's eye, the tip exposing itself on the back of his dead foe's skull, he kicked the man away and drove his sword through the back of a Frey guard who was parrying blades with one of his own.

"Open those gates, let the rest of the lads in" Victarion ordered, pointing at the thick oaken bars locking the gates.

The two men approached the gate and lifted the two wooden bars and remove the peg at the door of the gate, they swung the gate outward and started waving for the other men to charge in, their archers wouldn't be of much use now, the Kraken had the tower firmly gripped as the two hundred men who had been waiting in reserve rose from their positions in the thicket and immediately rushed to the open gate, a quarrel zipped by Victarion's head as he turned around to face a force of thirty men led by Ser Ryman Frey, the heir to the castle.

"I'm giving you one last chance, get the fuck out my castle" Ryman hissed, drawing his sword.

"What makes you think we'll do that?" Victarion asked as he received a shield from one of his comrades.

"We've got another hundred men inside that Tower, do you really want to do this?" Ryman said, pointing over to the other tower.

"If we capture the Twins, the Stark boy won't be able to reach his host in time, without his leadership, they'll run like a pack of frightened dogs, not wolves" Victarion said, the last comment making his men laugh.

"Why don't we settle this personally?" Ryman asked.

"Pray tell, Ser" Victarion said.

"I win, your men leave, you win, at least let my family leave, and the castle shall be yours" Ryman said pompously.

"Done" Victarion simply said, sheathing his long-sword and asking for his favoured weapon, a double headed cruel-axe.

Ryman ordered his men to back up as Victarion walked forward, Ryman sheathed his sword and exchanged it for a spear, they exchanged looks for several moments before Ryman cried and lunged with a spear, Victarion used his shield to deflect the thrust, and brought his heavy axe down for a strike, which Ryman caught with his shield. Victarion pulled his axe out and readied for another strike, as Ryman once again thrust his spear, Victarion sidestepped out of the way and brought his axe down and severed the spear's shaft, Ryman stepped back and discarded the broken shaft and drew his sword, as Victarion pounded his axe to his shield and uttered a blood curdling scream as he charged for Ryman, he arched back to ready his axe for a strike but Ryman lifted his shield up in time for the strike, but the force of the blow made the axe's head pierce through the shield and sever Ryman's hand at the wrist, Ryman uttered a cry of pain as Victarion kicked Ryman to the ground, he had dropped the sword and was now holding his stump of an arm, Victarion then brought his axe down on Ryman's head and caved in his skull, spreading blood, and bits of bone all over the place, including his own plate armour.

"That was easier than I thought" Victarion huffed as he pulled out his axe and glared at the dead Frey's men, they were dropping their spears and cowering in fear at the sight of their Lord's death, Victarion considered sparing them, truly, he did, but that meant more mouths to feed and more space to waste on prisoners.

"Kill them all!"

**CERSEI**

She was walking the stone halls of the Red Keep, even at over thirty years of age, she still flowed along the marble floors like when she first walked those very halls as Robert Baratheon's newlywed bride, it was approaching noon time and when Cersei had no affairs to attend, she would walk these halls, Tyrion's wedding was only a few weeks away, and Joff's wedding several months, she was dreading to know when she would be wed to Loras Tyrell, oh how her life was degrading, in two years she went from the most powerful woman in the Seven Kingdoms to some girl to be bargained off like Salted Pork at a market, though even in her somewhat weakened state of power, she dare not travel by herself, behind her walked four Lannister Men-at-arms, matte crimson and black plate armour dully reflected the waning summer sun, their blood red cloaks dragging on the shining floor.

"Stop, I hear something" Cersei said, her guards stopped immediately, drawing their daggers and carefully observing the halls for movement. They heard the clacking sound of boots on the floor, they were slowly drawing their swords when a squire hurriedly approached, Cersei knew he was a Lannister squire because of the crimson brigandine he wore, rivets freshly polished.

"What is it, squire?" Cersei asked as her guards sheathed their weapons.

"Lord Tywin has summoned you to his offices your grace" he nervously said.

"Has he stated the reason as to why he wants me to go to his chambers?" Cersei asked.

"He did not say your grace" the squire said, looking down at his feet.

Cersei hesitated for a bit, looking out at the windows and seeing the glistening blue waters of the Narrow Sea.

"Alright then" Cersei said. "Return to Lord Tywin and tell him that I shall be there at once"

She gave the squire a false smile, one too many in the recent months of making nice with the Tyrells and the Stormlords and whatnot.

"Y…yes your grace" the squire nodded as he turned around and scurried back to the Hand's Tower. She resumed walking again, but not aimlessly, she was now travelling to her father's offices, passing the windows, she glimpsed at the courtyard, she saw nearly two hundred men of mixed Lannister, Gold Cloak and Tyrell loyalty, and more were continually massing from different entrances.

"What are they doing?" Cersei asked one of her guards.

"We have been with you all day, your grace, I'm afraid we don't know" the guard simply replied, she quickly tried to make sense of the situation, the Tyrells might have organized them to stage a revolt, in their own city, with their own men. _Impossible _Cersei thought, the leader of the Gold Cloaks was Ser Addam Marbrand, a loyal bannerman of the Westerlands, he would never betray his liege lord for any amount of coin. She had half a mind to rush down there and personally demand what was going on when she saw Tywin escorted by a retinue of men.

"Father, what is happening?" Cersei asked.

"They've attacked Duskendale, and they're about to overwhelm the light garrison left there.

"The Starks are attacking us?" Cersei laughed. "How bold"

"No…not the Starks, the Greyjoys, the Iron Fleet has landed over twenty thousand men along the Riverlands" Tywin said as they descended some stairs and reached another long corridor.

"The Greyjoys are attacking?" Cersei asked. "I thought they wanted the North, why are they attacking the Riverlands?"

"Maybe the Stark men at Moat Cailin bled them a little more than they intended" Tywin said.

"So now they annoy the Starks even more?" Cersei asked.

"I do not think they intend to attack the Riverlands, only pass through it, I think the Crownlands are their real goal" Tywin said.

"If that is the case, then you must tell Randyll Tarly to stop them" Cersei said.

"We mustn't rush our entire army to save a small town" Tywin said.

"How many of the Greyjoys are attacking Duskendale?" Cersei asked.

"The raven sent from there says they numbered at around five thousand" Tywin said.

"And how many men are you mustering, Three hundred?" Cersei asked.

"Yes, and an additional three thousand men from Rosby" Tywin sarcastically replied.

"Are you going to ride out and meet them?" Cersei asked, fearing for her father's health, he was a great swordsman in his prime but his once golden hair had now mostly receded and had turned white as snow, his joints weak and his bones frail, not as frail as Grand Maester Pycelle but still well aged nonetheless.

"Gods no" Tywin said. "I'm only going so far as Rosby, where Ser Davon will ride out and meet the damned squids in the field"

"Oh" Cersei said as they finally reached the ground and saw that thee hundred soldiers were now fully mounted on horses of varying colours, with some men bearing the sigils of Houses proud and small, Tywin and his retinue personally mounted their horses when Tywin turned his champagne coloured stallion to face Cersei.

"There is also some news regarding Robb Stark, we shall talk when I return" Tywin said.

"As you wish, safe travels father" Cersei said, uttering the first sincere smile in weeks.

Tywin promptly nodded and turned his horse around, spurring it as it galloped toward the front gate, followed by the other three hundred men as they rode off to save Duskendale.

**THEON**

"Forward boys, kill them all!" Theon shouted as he raised his sword. Two hundred of his men ran for the enemy archers' blind spot directly beneath the town's wall, while he had thirty men hard at work battering down the gate with a large ram. He had only committed five hundred men to the attack, while the other four and a half thousand men circled Duskendale and maintained a siege, the city's only means of resupply was the port, which was cluttered with all manners of fishing skiffs and trading carracks filled with civilians trying to escape an almost certain sacking.

"Milord, they've fielded another hundred archers and crossbowmen" one of his men said.

"As long as the men get under the walls in time and Ryk and his men batter down that gate, the men'll be fine" Theon said.

"Aye, milord" The soldier nodded.

"Send thirty men with broad shields down that section of the wall, and while they have the archers' attention, send another hundred runners under the wall for when Ryk breaks the gate" Then ordered.

The guard nodded and went to the camp to brief the men, minutes later, there were a hundred men wearing light padded armour bearing the Kraken of his house stood to his left, while to his right stood thirty men garbed in hauberks under thick leather brigandines carrying shields two feet wide and four feet thick were readying an advance, while behind Theon and his men, three catapults fired barrels of pitch followed by a volley of arrows set aflame, they coated the walls with thick black slime as the arrows turned them from black to bright orange, sending several archers over the battlements with their clothes burning. They heard a distant cheer as Ryk had broken down and was swarming the newly made breach with men.

"There, gather a thousand men and flood that breach with men!" Theon commanded.

Behind him a motley assortment of men-at-arms charged forth, maybe not a thousand werecharging, but certainly above six hundred, Theon thought that he'd get a taste of battle and charged forth himself, flailing around his sword and putting his shield in front of his body to shield from arrows. He rushed through the gate, past the battered down gate and the discarded ram and into the fray, eight hundred of his men engaged the near two thousand men the Lannisters left at Duskendale, A man from House Rykker charged at Theon, axe held high, they were about to lock blades before a Greyjoy crossbowman sent a quarrel into the man's thin mail hauberk, he gripped the tip of the quarrel as he spurted blood from his mouth and fell to the dirt streets. The next man fool enough to cross blades with him was a simple Lannister levy, wearing only a half-helm and a thin leather jerkin for protection, Theon didn't divert his strikes twice before he punched a foot of sharp steel into the fool's belly, he knocked the man away and searched for his next victim, though he was facing some difficulty, as all of Lord Rykker's men were already crossing blades with someone, dead or running away. At the end of the street, he saw a man in plate armour leading a hundred men with long pikes and broad shields, no doubt intending to form a spear wall and halt their advance down the widest street, the man in plate walked with a heavy limp in one leg, as if it were amputated.

"Come on ye louts, form up, form up!" The knight shouted, the front ranks then formed a neat line and arrayed their long pikes in front of them, the second rank then tilted their spears through the gaps left over by the first ranks and formed a near impenetrable wall of spears and shields.

"Fill the lot of them full of arrows and quarrels!" the knight said to the archers behind the spear wall, they aimed their short-bows above their comrades' heads and released a small volley of arrows, small yes, but the sixty or so arrows loosed did their job, most found their mark in the breastplates of Theon's soldiers, but that was far from enough to stop his onslaught.

"Ryk, take two hundred men and storm that spear wall, I'll take some men and flank them" Theon said full of pomp.

"Aye" Ryk nodded taking two hundred men carrying swords and axes and charging the enemy line.

"Shanks, Wygen, your men with me!" Theon ordered raising his sword and charging a different street, fifty men at his back, as he was about to round the street corner leading to the vulnerable rear of the spear wall, Theon met eyes with the limping knight, he also had fifty men, if not more at his back.

"It looks like we had the same strategy" Theon said.

"Aye, seems that way" the old knight huffed.

"Though there's only one difference with mine" Theon said.

"And what's that, squid boy?" the knight asked.

"The difference is, you die" Theon angrily said, taking offence at being called a squid.

"Heh, we'll see about that bastard!" The knight said drawing his sword and a small dirk and charging forward, the rest of his men following him, the rest of Theon's men did the same, raising their axes and swords and clashing with the Lannister garrison head on, Theon and the knight met in singe combat. 'this fight is mine, what's cripple doing on the field of battle anyway' he though as he swing his sword right, but the knight's own blade caught it, Theon was amazed but his momentary pause allowed the knight to punch him square in the face with his other hand, sending him staggering back.

"You'll die for that, dog" Theon bellowed slashing down but was yet again deflected by the knight's swordsmanship.

"I don't think so, how do ye think me mam'll react when my men tell 'er I've been killed by a fish" the knight taunted, fuelling Theon's anger even more.

"Ah!" Theon cried thrusting the sword as the knight smacked it away with his sword. And nicked Theon's arm with his dagger, Theon uttered a cry of pain as the knight kicked him to the ground, sending his sword tumbling away.

"Please don't, I yield" Theon pleaded, raising a hand in surrender.

"Let this be marked the day that Ser Rufus Leek gutted King Balon Greyjoy's last son" the knight said, gripping his sword's hilt with two hands and preparing to bring it down, but this was interrupted as a spearhead emerged from Ser Rufus' chest, punching through the padding and plate armour.

"Oh" Ser Rufus said as he dropped the sword in favour of gripping the spear's bloody shaft, he was flung aside as Theon saw his saviour's face.

"Dagmer, am I glad to see your ugly mug" Theon jokes as Dagmer helped him up and put an axe in Theon's hand.

"How fares the battle milord, we just arrived from the main host" Dagmer asked.

"Good" Theon coughed. "I've more than a thousand men inside the town, and four times the number outside"

"Good, the castellan should surrender any moment now" Dagmer said, around him, Ser Rufus' men were being slaughtered like goats, he had also gotten word that Ryk had successfully broken through the spear wall and was now taking a group of men to storm the Dun Fort.

"I think you just skewered him" Theon said, observing Ser Rufus' dead state.

"Right, who's next in command?" Dagmer aimlessly asked.

"As if I care, they'll all be dead come nightfall, send someone to bring the rest of my army and provisions into the city" Theon ordered, taking out a small bladder of wine and uncorked it, he gave a long swallow and offered it to Dagmer.

"No wine for me" Dagmer said. "I like a good ale myself"

"Suit yourself" Theon shrugged as he took another swallow, a longer one this time.

"With more than five thousand men behind some walls, I'd like to see the Lannisters break into this town without bleeding some" said Dagmer.

"With five thousand in these walls, we should be able to counter a force no larger than ten thousand" Theon said.

"Aye, but let's not hope it comes to that, Uncle sent me off with enough provisions to only last a few weeks, a month if aske the raiders to ration it properly" Theon said.

"You're shaping out to be a fine commander, and with your father aging, you'll have an excellent claim to the seastone chair, after your uncle's blunder at Moat Cailin and your sister losing half her fleet to flaming arrows and barrels of pitch at Deepwood motte.

"Aye, and when father dies and I have his brother's at my command, I'll order them to cease the attack on Robb's land, if they don't obey, I'll have their heads on the prow of the _Sea Bitch" _Theon said. he turned around to see a continuous column of ironmen march into the city gates, some already beginning to rape and pillage, take servants and salt wives and began to engage in acts of debauchery.

"Dagmer" Theon called.

"Aye, ye princeliness?" Dagmer answered.

"Have five hundred men man the battlements, and another five hundred men ready if the Lannister arrive with reinforcement" Theon said.

"Aye, the men won't be happy to hear they've been roped into patrol duty while their mates are out drinking and fucking" Dagmer said.

"They'll like it, or I'll have their heads on pikes for disobeying a prince's order" Theo sternly said, to which Dagmer simply nodded and left to brief some officers.

"Well, look at the little Lord, barking orders and such" Ryk said.

"What, nobody likes guard duty but I don't want the Red cloaks to catch us with our bellies full of ale and our britches down, at least not all of us" Theon said.

"Aye, seems reasonable milord" Ryk nodded.

"When are we ready to send out Ravens?" Theon asked.

"What for milord, to send you Lord Uncle the good news?" Ryk asked.

"Aye, and for us to pledge to Robb Stark and his host" Theon said.

"What, Lord Victarion won't be happy" Ryk said.

"I don't need him to be happy" Theon said.

"You know the men won't like it" Ryk said.

"As long as they fight under a man who lets them drink and fuck, they'll fight for him, me in this case" Theon said.

"Then you know I, Dagmer and all the rest have your back, but what about Pyke, what will your father think of you?" Ryk asked.

"My real father died in King's Landing"


	4. Chapter 4

**ROBB**

"I never liked old Walder, I've seen wet shits I like better than Walder Frey" the Blackfish said.

"Aye, but his allegiance gives saves us over a hundred miles" Robb said.

"Why not just wait it out until the lout's gotten his head lopped off and just swoop in and take the castle" Lord Umber said, riding a majestic red roan horse.

"We can't. Lord Glover's already circled around with half the men, remember?" Robb said.

"Robett's going to be fine, he's good with a sword" Lord Umber huffed.

"I reckon he will, but we still need to make it to the Twins" Robb said.

"What I can't wait to see is those spearmen she brought with her" Lord Mallister said.

"Aye, they seem fine soldiers the lot of them Your Grace" Lord Umber replied.

"Can't wait to see the Lannisters go up against a spear wall" said the Blackfish.

Robb and his miniscule host had travelled all the way from White Harbour, over two hundred miles in two days, none of the two hundred men he had brought had had more than three hours of rest a day, they had only stopped each time to eat meals and water their horses just so they could reach Lord Frey's castle within three days. Robb was slightly concerned for his Bannerman's health, the Ironborn did not take to sieges, as they would rather lose a thousand men climbing the battlements that lose ten in a siege.

"What did the Queen say when we left her?" Jason Mallister asked.

"She begged me to let her ride with us, but I was able to persuade her against it" Robb said.

"Good thing that happened" said Lord Jason. "She could've taken an arrow, or worse"

"Aye, I'd hate to lose an ally so quickly" Robb replied, in the road ahead, Robb glimpsed a man in moss coloured leather jack, he held a frog spear in one hand and a well-worn shield painted with a green lizard-lion, he was a man from House Reed, he had a good seventy men with him, all readying their weapons and whatnot in the middle or the side of the road.

"Are those Crannogmen I see?" Lord Umber asked.

"Aye, I think they are" Robb nodded.

"Who treads the road?!" A crannogman asked, brandishing a rusty iron axe and a small jagged knife while half of them knocked arrows on their bows, no doubt their arrows dipped in some poison that kills very painfully very quick.

"Boy, show some respect" Lord Umber bellowed. "You have the pleasure of addressing the King in the North"

"Bows down, it's the king!" Their leader ordered as he appeared from the rear, brandishing a surprisingly shiny longsword and a new shield.

The Crannogmen lowered their weapons and the archers returned their arrows to their quivers as they bowed in respect to the passing King.

"What are men from House Reed doing on the road, I had assigned Lord Reed to guard the Neck" Robb said.

"He still is your Grace" the man said as he sheathed his sword. "He sent us to help the Freys, but we arrived too late and the squids had already occupied the castle, they were nailing Lord Frey's head on a pike when we melted back into the brush"

"Lord Frey's dead?" Robb asked, this was ruthless, even for the Ironborn, he'd think that they would at least take them as hostages.

"Aye Your Grace, his sons too" the man said, we've another hundred and twenty men near the Twins, say the word and our archers should bleed the men on the battlements some"

"What of Lord Frey's daughters?" Robb asked, fearing his marriage to one of the Freys.

"From the sounds, they were in for a bit of a rape" the man said.

"Gods be good" Lord Umber shook his head.

"Would you join your men with mine own?" Robb asked.

"Aye my King, gladly" the man nodded. "Form up behind the King's men!"

The Crannogmen rose from their positions and marched behind to the read of the column, their worn down furs and rusty mail giving them the appearance of warriors risen from the dead.

"What's your name lad?" Robb asked.

"Doyle of House Blackmyre" he said.

"Alright Lord Blackmyre, let's meet up with the rest of your men" Robb said.

"Aye your Grace" Doyle said as he went behind to join his men.

"Do you want to ride with us?" Robb asked. "We have more horses"

"I prefer the use of mine own legs" Doyle nodded.

"Very well, enjoy the company of the Rearguard, the officer there is fond of his japes" Robb said. Doyle continued to the back with his men.

"Not as barbaric as I was told" Jason Mallister said. "They seem quite, homely"

"The crannogmen are hardly barbaric, they just cling on to their lifestyle" Robb said.

"Aye, and with Two hundred more men from the Neck, they've doubled our force" said the Blackfish.

"That should make our attack on the Twins a whole lot easier" said Lord Umber.

"Aye, it should" the Blackfish nodded.

'My pact with the Freys had come to an end, who am I betrothed to now?' Robb thought, 'Daenerys would be an excellent choice, it was the resounding answer in his head. But he knew than there was bad blood between their families, but Dany had been so amicable to him, even admitting his as a friend after only a day. Would he have a future with this girl? He thought.

**Victarion**

He ran a finger through his hair as he was seated on Lord Frey's seat, there was still blood on it from when one of his archers skewered the old man on it, he had decided against killing the old man, but an arrow loosed was an arrow loosed, and Lord Walder's throat welcomed the arrow with open arms. His other sons who had witnessed it had not taken kindly to that, all of them died in retaliation, with one having his face roasted off while three raiders held his face over the burning hearth, one had his guts spilt on the floor, and another had a pike shoved through his mouth and a dagger through his arse. The silence was interrupted when one of Lord Frey's daughter burst out of a set of doors, she got within eight feet of Lord Captain Victarion with a cheese knife before an pike was shoved through her chest.

"Shame, she was a pretty thing" Victarion mused as he merely shifted his position on the chair.

"Sorry milord, they won't get close again" the guard who hefted the pike declared.

"It better not, lest you want your head beside the Freys'" Victarion said.

"Y…Yes milord" The soldier said as he shrunk to a corner.

"Bring me wine!" Victarion commanded, one of his soldiers came over with a small flagon and a silver cup inlaid with cheap jewels, he filled the cup himself and took a small sip, and promptly spat it out.

"What is this, horse piss? Victarion asked, flinging the cup away.

"It is wine milord" the soldier said. "I got it from their pantry"

"The louts drank that?" Victarion asked. "In that case, killing him was an act of mercy" his men gave small chuckle.

"The Starks will surely march on us, have a squad of men retrieve all the loosed arrows still able to be loosed once again" Victarion said.

"Aye milord, but what if they come with us using a ram?" The soldier asked.

"Then we cook the bastards in oil" Victarion simply said.

"I'm afraid the Freys used up the oil milord, we found no more barrels other than the ones they dropped on us" the soldier said.

"If that's the case, when the Starks come, have a hundred men on the bridge to keep them at bay while our archers do the work" Victarion said. "Send a raven to the main host, order no less than five hundred men to hold the southern side of the road leading to the Twins, the Starks might try to catch us in our arses"

"Yes milord" the soldier nodded as he set the flagon down and left the room to inform the men.

"Somebody get this damn girl out of here" Victarion commanded, pointing to the dead Frey girl. "As if this room didn't reek of death enough"

Two guards heeded the order and stepped forward, carrying the girl by the shoulders and dragging her out of the room, leaving a trail of blood in her wake.

"What of the scouts we sent up the road?" Victarion then asked.

"I'm afraid none have come, milord" A guard said.

"What, they deserted?" Victarion asked.

"No milord, I suspect the Bog Devils must be behind this" the guard said.

"Aye, they might be" Victarion said.

"What would you have us do milord?" The guard asked.

"There's naught we can do for the riders and scouts we dispatched earlier, but see to it that all future patrols stop" Victarion said.

"Yes milord" the soldier nodded as he turned around and left the room.

"Bring me ale, at least you can't fuck up ale" Victarion said as a soldier removed a jug from around his belt and uncorked the mouth, he walked up to the Lord Captain and offered it to him.

"Is this ale from Pyke?" Victarion asked.

"Aye milord, me and the lads picked up a small cask from Lordsport" the soldier said.

"Where is this cask?" Victarion asked.

"It's still aboard the _Ironhand _milord, assuming the force you left to guard the ships hasn't found them yet" the soldier said.

"Not to worry" Victarion said as he took a swallow. "I'll buy a hundred barrels for the men when we get back"

Victarion took two more swallows and replaced the cork on the jug's mouth as he handed it back to the man.

"What of the plunder we took?" Victarion asked.

"A dozen barrels of shitty wine, a dozen barrels of decent ale, a month of salted pork and beef, and a good fifty stone of silver and gold" the man asked.

"And you are certain that the ale is not that bad?" Victarion asked.

"Yes milord, me and a few lads tasted the ale ourselves, not as good as the cask we bought at Lordsport, but it does the job of making Lord Frey's daughters look pretty" the man chuckled.

"I am sure it does" he mused. "We shouldn't have killed the old lout, good thing the archer that loosed that arrow was gutted by one of the Frey men, I would've drowned him in that wine" Victarion said.

Their conversing was interrupted by a five man squad of his men who hurriedly opened the gate. They were panting from running, must have come from the other tower.

"Milord, we've glimpsed bog devils shifting in the thicket" the man said.

"How can you be sure, the frog-eaters are masters of stealth" Victarion said.

"We saw them pull three of our men into the brush with those two-pronged spears of theirs" the lookout said.

"Truly, are they that close to the Tower?" Victarion said.

"They are milord" said the lookout, still lightly panting.

"Well, we can't organize a raiding party, they'd have poisoned them all before they'd catch a glimpse of one of the frog-eaters" Victarion said.

"What are our orders?" the lookout asked.

"Bring all the men we have back inside the castle, we'll need them all against Robb Stark and his forces from White Harbour" Victarion ordered.

"Aye milord" the lookout said as he turned around with his companions to stop any foraging and hunting parties Victarion had sent out. 'They could be dead for all I know' Victarion thought. 'I sent a hundred men out with nearly all the crossbows and longbows we had, if Robb Stark would risk an attack, as he knew the Young Wolf would, he would have less than a hundred archers on the battlements, the pikes could be thrown over the battlements but Victarion's men only had a handful of those as well, Victarion had delayed the use of preserved food until it was absolutely necessary, and now for all he knew, a hundred of his men would pay the price for the prospect of a few sacks of fruits and nuts and berries and a dozen deer.

"I made a mistake" Victarion announced loudly. "I shouldn't have sent most of the archers out hunting and foraging"

"These walls are strong milord" said Wulfe, one of Victarion's most loyal men, who had just entered the room.

"Aye Wulfe, but what if they attack with a ram, I've seen those oaken gates, unless we set the ram on fire, the wolves would be able to batter it down in several minutes" Victarion said.

"It's a damned shame we're out of oil then" Wulfe said, shaking his head.

"What if throw the ale?" Victarion asked.

"With all due respect milord, but withstanding a siege without drink is fighting a tourney joust with no lance in hand" Wulfe retorted.

"Yes, you're probably right, the men would serve me grilled stuffed with tomatoes and onions and cheese to Robb Stark than let me take away the only drink that does not taste of horse piss" Victarion replied.

"I am glad you saw it our way milord" Wulfe smiled.

"Did you take stock of our quarrels and arrows and throwing spears?" Victarion asked.

"From the looks of it, less than a thousand arrows and quarrels and about eighty throwing spears" Wulfe replied.

"Perhaps we should withdraw?" Victarion said. "We could regroup with the host and just march straight for Riverrun or Seagard"

"An army of over eighteen thousand guards Riverrun milord, it wouldn't be a siege, it'd be slaughter" Wulfe said.

"What of Prince Theon, is there any news of his manoeuvres?" Victarion asked.

"The last I remembered milord, he took his five thousand men to attack Duskendale" Wulfe said.

"The fool, he should know it was not wise to invoke the wrath of Randyll Tarly's host so close to King's Landing" Victarion said.

"I would rest easy milord" Wulfe said. "The men under the young prince are all experienced and blooded raiders, the men under Randyll Tarly are fat oafs drunk on wine from the Arbor"

Victarion was amused at this, and gave a low chuckle, but he did not forget the situation at hand, unless he melted back into the woods, which he couldn't because of the bloody bog-devils, he couldn't retreat back south because the Rivermen had surely blocked the path to the Riverlands, and he obviously wouldn't go North because Robb Stark was heading his way, he shut his eyes and silently accepted his fate, his first success of the War was also his last.

"Let them come" Victarion said.


	5. Chapter 5

**ROBB**

"We're getting close now Your Grace, you'd best don your plate" said Lord Robett Glover as they neared the ironborn held castle.

"You are right, stop the column please" Robb requested, Lord Jason Mallister raised a closed fist and the entire column of men obediently stopped their march, Robb dismounted shortly after, a soldier under Lord Glover's command holding the reins. While making his way to the back of the column where the rest of his belongings were, he thought of Olyvar, the squire he had left behind at Riverrun, he was probably the only one left that was a legitimate Frey. If Lord Frey and his issue truly were dead, he would be Lord of the Crossing, and just three-and-ten.

Northerners, Rivermen and Crannogmen all bowed in respect when their king walked beside the column, it was a moderately long column, just under three hundred men, another hundred and half were camped near the Twins and would join their strength to his once he commenced the attack on the castle, though the column was long to give any man pause, it was nothing short of miniscule compare to the eighteen thousand men Robb had marched down south with in an ill-fated attempt to rescue his then captured father, he brought none of Daenaerys' Unsullied though, as he did not speak High Valyrian and would not allow her to come along for fear of her safety, he finally reached the rear of the column where the supply carriages were, he unfastened his cloak as a steward removed a hard leather chest containing a steel breastplate, greaves and bracers and gauntlets and a new helm he had commissioned to be forged, it was in the shape of a wolf's head baring it's sharp teeth, he donned them all and returned to the front of the column once again.

"Oh, his grace has got a fancy new helm" said Lord Umber.

"That won't do good with my house, lest I be wearing a helm in the shape of fish" said the Blackfish.

"After that arrow buried itself into my shield at the Crag, I rethought about not carrying more protection" replied Robb.

"We can't be more than a half-mile away from the Twins now, we'd best leave the horses and supplies a bit farther down the road, then proceed to the Twins on foot" said the Blackfish.

"Aye, that's a sound plan, we leave the carriages three hundred yards down the road" Robb ordered as he once again mounted his horse.

"All forward!" Lord Robett commanded as the column once again resumed its marching, they were able to cover the distance in less than ten minutes and had left all the horses, carriages and stewards on the road, Robb also left fifty men behind to protect the supplies, he then ordered the men to bring forth the ram, it was a solid trunk of oak tipped with a solid iron point, it took ten men to carry and would take twice the number to operate effectively.

"That ram looks more like a giant's cock to me" Chuckled Lord Umber.

"Then we should hurry and shove it up this Greyjoy's bunghole" said Robett Glover.

"Doyle, where are your men?" Robb asked.

"Whatever do you mean your Grace?" Doyle said as he brought out a small horn and sounded it lightly, from all around them, men dressed in furs and rusty mail emerged from the armed with bows and axes and two-pronged frog spears, the men carrying frog spears hefted large brown leather shields. Their sudden appearance spooked some and impressed others.

"No wonder the lions are too afraid to attack North, the Crannogmen would fill their arses with poison arrows should they get too close" Lord Umber said.

"My King, men from House Boggs and House Cray, from Houses Reed and Blackmyre, the finest spearmen, axe-men and archers you'll find anywhere" Doyle Blackmyre said.

"Impressive Lord Blackmyre, my men did not even see them coming" Robb nodded.

"Shall we commence the attack Your Grace?" asked Jason Mallister.

"Yes, we shall, I want everyone with a broad shield up front, they'll form one rank, behind them will be your archers and some crossbowmen, they will keep the Greyjoy archers busy while Lord Mallister will lead a group of men to the gate with the ram" Robb said.

"Aye your grace, my archers won't fail you" Doyle nodded as he went off to assign some of his archers while Lord Mallister dismounted and met with the men who hefted the ram, after fully organizing the men, they marched until they were only two hundred yards from the one of the castle's two towers, they could see archers taking to the battlements, but Doyle reassured Robb.

"Not to worry, their commander sent out a hundred men to forage and hunt with most of their longbows and crossbows, let's just say they won't be back"

"Then this should be easier than I thought" Robb answered as a horn was being sounded, signalling the ironmen of an imminent attack. Theon had once told Robb that they were no fans of sieges, and would die bloodied in a field with axe in hand than grasping a bow behind a wall.

"They'll no doubt send a sortie after us" said Lord Mallister as he marched behind a group of forty men guarding the men required to man the ram, to their right, thirty men with broad shields were steadily marching forward parallel to Lord Mallister's party, behind them crept fifty men with bows, arrows tipped with poison already knocked. Before the battle had officially started, several men holding sacks arrayed themselves from the battlements, they opened the burlap sacks and let Walder Frey's head fall down the battlements, accompanied by the heads of his dead sons and some of his dead daughters, they all hit the ground with sickening cracks as their skulls caved in from the impact.

"Attack!" Robb commanded, the Greyjoy archers soon began to fire arrows from portcullises and windows and battlements. As soon an Lord Mallister's men reached the gate and were about to batter it down, it swung open and from it, dozens of arrows were unleashed upon Lord Mallister's men from less than ten paces away, dozens of raiders flooded through the gate and met with Lord Mallister's men, Robb could hear that the ram had been dropped in favour of their longswords and from afar, he saw that a small skirmish had erupted.

"Doyle, with me!" Robb said, unsheathing his own blade and charging down the road to join Lord Jason, fifty northmen and a hundred Crannogmen at his back, Robb entered the fray as he plunged his steel into the back of a raider intent on cleaving Lord Jason's skull with an axe.

"Well struck your grace" Doyle bellowed as he hurled a spear and skewered a raider in his crotch, his cries of pain drowned out in the fighting.

"Die wolf!" a Greyjoy man-at-arms screamed, waving an already bloodied sword as he barrelled for Robb, he swung his sword sluggishly, giving Robb the opportunity to grip the man's sword hand, Robb then drove his sword through the man's chest, easily piercing boiled leather breastplate. Robb retracted his sword and nudged the man away, searching for a new foe, he saw a man clad in full plate, hefting a large axe in one hand and his face concealed by a kraken-shaped helm, Robb saw him bury an axe into a man's shoulder, nearly severing the arm entirely, he pulled it out and felled three more men before noticing Robb's helm and coming to face him.

"You die today, Wolf!"

"Victarion Greyjoy, Theon's told me about you" Robb said over the noise of the battle around them.

"Did he mention me felling over a hundred men during the rebellion?" Victarion asked.

"You mean the one you lost?" Robb taunted, prompting Victarion to lunge as Robb, clad in lighter armour, sidestepped out of the way as Victarion's axe slashed air.

"You'll die soon enough!" Victarion called as he swiftly turned around swinging his axe toward Robb, he caught the axe's shaft with his blade and gave Victarion a swift kick to the side, making him fall and lose his balance.

A man-at-arms from House Mallister tried to intervene, but Victarion sent him to the seven hells with a huge gash across the side of the head, piercing through the half-helm.

"See that! That's but a taste of what I intend to do to you!" Victarion said, adjusting his stance and lunging once more, Robb dropped to the ground, Victarion tripped on him as Robb quickly regained his footing. _I can't get to him, _Robb thought, he was right, unless they sparred for long enough until Robb finds a chink in Victarion's heavy plate, his puny longsword was for naught.

He would have to resort to dirty tactics then, he considered it, and remembered. _I'm no flowery Knight of the Southron Lords, I don't need chivalry. _Robb then cast the honour of a clean death aside.

"Doyle!" Robb shouted, from behind Victarion, a two-pronged Frog-spear found itself behind Victarion's left knee, and a longsword found itself buried into Victarion's right shoulder, disabling his axe-hand.

Victarion tried swinging his axe, but the pain of heaving a heavy axe proved too much for his near severed arm to bear. He collapsed on the ground.

"Lord Umber, take this filth away" Robb said.

"Aye, Your Grace" Lord Umber nodded as he ordered three Northmen to pull the wounded commander from the fray, Robb looked around to observe the battle, and noticed that his men had already killed or routed the sortie, and were now only waiting for his command.

"Storm the castle!" Robb commanded as his soldiers overtook the sortie and secured the outside of the first tower.

"Recover the Ram!" hollered Jason Mallister.

Even though the archers and crossbowmen were still loosing arrows and bolts, Robb grabbed a shield from a fallen Northman and held it above his head, so as to not get hit by a well-placed arrow.

"We have your commander, yield the castle or we'll send his head to Pyke and tell them it happened because two hundred men wouldn't yield a castle!" Robb shouted.

"So you can have the Lord Bolton flay us?" a voice responded.

"Only if you force us to take the castle ourselves, then you'll get your flaying" Robb answered. He noticed that the rate the archers fired arrows lessened, as a few more moments passed, it ceased entirely.

"How do we know you won't kill us all?" the voice asked.

"You have my word as a Stark of Winterfell" Robb replied.

"What will you do with us?" the voice asked.

"You'll be kept as captives in Riverrun until the ironmen stop raiding the Riverlands, as soon as that happens, we can put you on ships to Pyke or Orkmont or Blacktyde" Robb said.

"We'll yield, but no lies, there are still a hundred men on the other side of the castle" the voice said.

"Rest easy, we wouldn't" Robb said.

**Daenerys**

To say she had nothing to do in White Harbour was a colossal understatement, other than supping with Lady Cat during the evening she could do not much else, she resorted to ensuring that the Unsullied camp's had sufficient supplied.

"How goes the troops?" Daenerys asked Missandei.

"Your Grace, Lord Manderly was generous enough to supply the camp with thousands of blankets and firewood, King Robb has also commissioned all the tailors to make wool clothing and boots to better equip the Unsullied for Southern conditions" Missandei said.

"How are the provisions?" Daenerys asked.

"Lord Manderly was also gracious enough to supply the army with a significant amount of bread and salted fish, he has also given us barrels of wine and fresh water" Missandei replied.

"How generous of Lord Wyman" Dany said as she walked further through the camp, most of the northerners were there helping them make fires, cook food and gave them blankets, though most of the Unsullied just stood motionless, unwavering in awaiting Daenerys' next order. The Unsullied were dangerously efficient, to work effectively, they only slept for three hours and could do with two small meals each day.

"What of the galleys we brought here?" she asked.

"Ser Barristan had them anchored off the bay until the small ships had enough time to ressuply, to bring the rest of the Unsullied and the freedmen" Missandei said.

Dany was about to think what had happened to Robb, it had been a full week since he left White Harbour for the Twins, she would hate to lose a new friend, and her only chance at the Iron Throne, she had joined Lady Cat several occasions before, she had accompanied her to the Godswood, with its pale white Heart trees and their amber leaves, she had broken her fast with her as well, roast chickens stuffed with different herbs and spices. She was about to look for her when she called Daenerys from behind.

"Your Grace" Cat said.

"What is it My Lady?" Daenerys smiled as she turned around.

"Would you like to accompany me to Robb's arrival, New Castle has spotted his banners arriving from the Kingsroad" Lady Cat said.

"It would be my pleasure" Daenerys nodded, the two of them walked to New Castle's main gate, which had been swung wide open in anticipation for their King's arrival, smallfolk were looking on and Lord Wyman himself was on the side of the road, protected by ten guardsmen and accompanied by his son, Ser Wendel, some other noble houses were there as well, Catelyn saw banners of House Cerwyn, House Dustin and House Ryswell, trumpets were sounded as the King and his personal entourage arrived through the gate, his men and the baggage train not far behind.

"Robb, I am gladdened to see that you are alive" Lady Cat said.

"It's good to see you as well mother" Robb said, dismounting his horse and enveloping his mother in a firm embrace.

"My King, we are relieved that you did not get hurt" said Lord Wyman.

"I thank you" Robb said as he turned to Dany.

"Hello Dany, it looks like you have adjusted well to northern living" Robb said, noticing Daenerys' garb as she was wrapped in a woollen grey dress embroidered with fine gold lace under a thick fur coat.

"I have, I'm happy that you're back, but I must ask, when are my Unsullied marching south?" Dany curtly said.

"We can march in three days, once we organize the provisions for travel, it would take at least a fortnight to reach my men at Riverrun, are you prepared for such a journey?" Robb asked.

"I rode with the Dothraki for nearly a year, I think I can cope with a fortnight" Dany said.

"Very well then, I'll send word for Lord Edmure to meet us at the Blue Fork, then its off to the Westerlands to lay siege to Casterly Rock" Robb said.

"It is a sound plan, but before I accompany you to a siege, I must learn how to protect myself at least" Daenerys said.

"There's no need, I'll make certain that you have a retinue of my finest Knight to accompany your guards" Robb said.

"I thank you for the gesture, but I insist on learning" Daenerys said.

"But why? You'll have at least a dozen men by your side." Replied Robb.

"They can only protect me for so long" Dany replied.

"Any bruises you receive on the morrow shall not be my problem" Robb finally said, Dany then crossed her arms and smiled.

"Alright, I agree"

"I've returned, we've shared our courtesies, you'd best get back to your chambers" Robb said.

"Right" Dany stuttered "I think Missandei might have something to say at my army's camp" she swiftly turned around to make her way to her horse, which she mounted and spurred off.

Cat then walked over to Robb side, who was wearing that permanent scowl men of the North always have.

"You do not see it?" She asked.

"Mother, see what?" Robb asked.

"She likes you, enough to get bruises by your own hand" Cat replied.

"Her family hates ours" Robb said.

"Considering she is the only one left in said family, I do not think she hates you, can't you see that her cheeks get red whenever you're around, I swear they've been pale since you left" Cat replied.

"But ice and fire do not mix" Robb said.

"I think the gods made an exception"


	6. Chapter 6

**JON.**

Jon's memory was very hazy and he was only getting fragments of what had happened, Ygritte sending him off with an arrow close to his heart, he remembered falling on the dirt of Castle Black's courtyard as Sam and dozens of fellow black brothers looked on. The next thing he remembered was Sam and Clydas binding his wounds with bloodied rags.

"How long?" he groggily asked.

"What?" Sam asked.

"How long was I unconscious?" Jon managed to say, albeit with a slight slur in his speech.

"You were out for a day and a half. Are you hungry? I can have Edd bring up some food." Sam offered as he gave Jon a friendly smile.

"I'm not hungry, but I wouldn't say no to a cup of spiced wine." Jon mumbled.

"Sure, Edd, a flagon of spiced wine over the hearth if you'd please."

"Aye I'll get your damn wine." Edd grumbled as he left Jon's quarters, Jon and Sam shared a look.

"He seems friendlier than usual." Jon chided.

"Is he? He's just happy to see you I reckon." Sam replied.

"Are Ser Alliser and Lord Janos here?" Jon asked as he adjusted his position to seat himself on the mattress.

"Oh no, they're still at Eastwatch." Sam shrugged.

"Who did they leave in charge of the Castle?" Jon frowned.

"Well...nobody, they just left, though technically it could be Maester Aemon." Sam once again shrugged as Edd opened the door and arrived holding a small flagon.

"I've got your wine, it'll need a few moments on the fire to get it hot" Edd said as he bent over and placed the flagon over the hearth.

"Thank you Edd" Jon said as Edd nodded and left the room, probably off to get a bow of Three-finger Hobb's stew. Jon took a deep breath and sighed contentedly, apart from the arrow wound in his chest, he was finally in his own bed.

"So, where have you been the past few fortnights?" Sam finally asked.

"I was with the Wildlings" Jon calmly replied.

"You were? Why?" Sam asked.

"Qhorin Half-hand told me so, he meant for me to infiltrate the Wildling command structure and learn their intentions, you should've seen them." Jon replied.

"Why should I?"

"Their leader, Mance Rayder, I don't know how he did it but he managed to get a hundred thousand wildlings together, and they've got Giants" Jon said.

"But aren't Giants just stories meant for frightening little children?"

"They frightened me. But they were most certainly not stories" Jon answered grimly.

"And how did he manage to get a hundred thousand Wildlings together? You can't get a hundred of them together, lest you want to watch them slit each other's throats and cleave each other's skulls for a goat" Sam chided.

"Simple, Mance said that if they weren't all going South, they were all going to die" Jon said.

"Die from what? I reckon they've survived harsher winters than you or I" Sam said.

"You were with Mormont weren't you? You saw what butchered all the rangers" Jon said.

"I was, but I ran, I didn't see Edd or Grenn again until there were less than fifty of us left and on the way to Craster's Keep" Sam confessed, looking away in shame.

"That may be the case but we have to ready the Castle Black for a big fight, the biggest one any man of the Watch has seen in over a dozen generations" Jon said.

"What of the Wall? It's seven hundred feet high, surely no one can breach those defences" Sam assured.

"Believe me, they can be breached, I was with a party of Wildlings who scaled the Wall and came down the other side" Jon said.

"That climb would at least take eight hours" Sam said. "More than enough time for the rangers to fill their faces full of arrows"

"And how long do you think three hundred men will stand against a hundred thousand?" Jon asked. "Even if they all scaled the wall, we wouldn't have enough arrows, we need to work an agreement"

"What kind of agreement?" Sam asked.

"I've seen Mance's host, lots of men, but even more women and children, they've no desire to fight same as us, if we could broker a peace, we could have some of his men garrison the other castles on the Wall for when the Others finally arrive" Jon said.

"Most of the men might agree with you, but Bowen Marsh, Alliser Thorne and his lot, they won't, they'll throw you into a cell just for suggesting it" Sam said.

"Then we need to broker the peace before Ser Alliser arrives from Eastwatch" Jon said.

"I hope we have until that time"

**THE IRON CAPTAIN**

Victarion Greyjoy, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet and King Balon's right-hand man, captured by a boy. He awoke in a cell, but it was no ordinary cell, it was as large as the chambers of a small castle even though most of the amenities had been removed, leaving only a hard bed stuffed with hay and a few tallow candles that dimly lit the room, his shoulder and the back of his knee still throbbed because of his wounds, but they had been cleaned and bound in white cloths stained brown from old blood, he noticed that it had already clotted long before he had awoken, he tried getting out of bed, but the throbbing leg proved too much for him, and he just sat on the bed, close by was a small desk with a cup and a plate of food. He reached for the cup and took a swallow. It was water, cool and crisp, probably from the White Knife, he reached for the plate of food, it was a bowl of porridge beside small saucers containing some milk and honey, he mixed the three until it was sweet enough for his taste, he had consumed three spoonfuls before he heard the door being unbarred, it swung open with a noisy creek. Robb Stark and two of his personal guard went inside, a tall man with a giant on his surcoat, and a lean and muscular woman with a bear on hers.

"Lord Stark" Victarion greeted, setting the bowl of porridge down. "What a pleasant surprise, I would stand but your bog devils seemed to have robbed me of the opportunity"

"You will address His Grace as King, not Lord" the tall man hissed.

"It's quite alright Smalljon" Robb said, dismissing the mistake in their formalities.

"I trust you enjoy your, accommodations?" he added.

"Can't complain, where am I anyway?" Victarion asked as he rubbed his forehead and took a swallow of water.

"You're in White Harbour, your new home for the time being, Smalljon, Dacey, leave us" Robb said.

"Yes Your Grace" they both said as they bowed and left and closed the door behind them, it was just the two of them now, and they could have a nice and privy discussion.

"So, why didn't you kill me?" Victarion asked, finishing off his cup of water.

"As much as I'd want to, I've abstained to do so for two reasons" Robb said as he raised two fingers on his gloved hand.

"Pray tell, your grace" Victarion coldly replied.

"One, you are the Iron King's brother, you'll be of more value living than otherwise" Robb said.

"And the second reason is?" Victarion asked.

"Well, it's because I'm not mad at all, if you think I liked the old coot, you're wrong. The bastard tried to have his daughter wed me, for a bridge, not even a nice bridge" Robb scoffed.

"Ah, I see, you wanted him to die"

"I didn't want it, I don't want any to die, my men on foot slowed us down" Robb chided.

"I suppose you'll ransom me off for a pot of Gold, or even hand to Iron Throne since my nephew laid siege to Duskendale, and he's probably captured it by now" Victarion said.

"No, as long as you are my captive, the Ironmen won't risk an attack on the North again" Robb said.

"What happened to my men?" Victarion suddenly asked.

"About a hundred and a half surrendered, they're being held at a camp near Moat Cailin, the others who didn't, I know not, you'll have to ask Lord Bolton" Robb simply replied.

"You tortured them? I thought the Starks outlawed flaying in the North" Victarion said.

"I followed Lord Bolton's maxim; a naked man has few secrets and a flayed man, none." Robb simply said, smirking.

"The honourable Ned Stark's son flaying his prisoners alive, what would your father think of you?" Victarion asked.

"My father's dead, and so were people I had flayed" Robb replied before turning around and leaving the room, as soon as he heard the door close behind him, Victarion returned to his porridge and quickly finished the bowl.

"What's this boy king up to?" Victarion said to himself. "If any, he's angered Balon more now that he's captured me"

Only time will tell what the feared and respected House Greyjoy would do.

**THE RED VIPER**

Prince Oberyn was with his brother Doran in the Water Gardens, the air smelled of sand and they could hear children bathing in the fountains, one of them being Princess Myrcella.

"What have you received?" He asked. It was well know that you were a fool if you thought that only the Lannisters had an army of whistleblowers and spies at their every beck and call, little did the lions know, the number of Dornish spies in the Westerlands and Crownlands nearly equalled their own, and there were even some spies reporting activity as far away as the frigid North, far from the sands of Dorne.

"It is a letter from one of our contacts in White Harbour, it appears that Robb Stark has built himself a mighty fleet" Prince Doran said.

"How many ships does the Young Wolf have in his waters?" Prince Oberyn asked

"The letter says that our contact spotted no less than six-and-thirty large War Galleys, all filled to the brim with men"

"Wait, this can't be right, the contacts in the East said she was in Slaver's Bay" Prince Doran murmured.

"The girl, Daenerys?" prince Oberyn asked "Was she not putting Astapor's slavers to the sword?"

"Not anymore, she's allied herself with Robb Stark, bringing seven thousand Unsullied with her" Doran said.

"Then this is good!" Prince Oberyn rose from his seat and stared his brother straight in the eye. "We must declare fealty to the Queen and raise our host at the Boneway"

"And how do you suppose twenty thousand Dornish spears can march up three hostile Kingdoms to reach the Young Wolf's host at Riverrun?" Doran asked.

"We use the Princess" Oberyn said.

"We don't hurt little girls in Dorne" Doran reminded Oberyn, this was not some shit-pile of a city like King's Landing, you could have a girl walk from Hellholt to Susnpear and get there unmolested, in King's Landing you would have a better chance of getting raped in your own home than getting three meals a day.

"No sweet brother, but fear is the greatest weapon in the Known World, Cersei would not dare to attack a Dornish host if her daughter sits a captive in Sunspear" Oberyn said.

"What of the Lannisters? Cersei's brother sits a captive at Riverrun, one she's fucked no less, and she lets her father's men attack wolves at will" Doran replied.

"They are lions, aggressive lions" Oberyn said.

"But then again, caring about your brother is one thing, but a daughter, a whole other world entirely" Doran said.

"What would have me do brother?" Oberyn said as he poured himself a cup of Dornish red and downed it in one go, relishing its sour taste.

"How many men are allotted for Princess Myrcella's security detail?" Doran curiously asked.

"That one Kingsguard, a bloody Reachman, twenty lions and fifteen of our own" Oberyn said.

"I'll give you a dozen more and my protector, Areo, you will take her captive, no harm shall befall her" Doran said.

"Of course I would never hurt a child, do you take me for the Mountain?" Oberyn asked.

"Just see to it that she is within our grasp by nightfall, I shall call the banners. I'll have fifteen thousand spears and two thousand heavy horse waiting at the Boneway before the week's end, and I suppose your daughter will want a command as well" Doran said.

"Yes, she will. Obara has been dying for a chance to prove her prowess in combat" Oberyn said.

"Very well, once your host is raised, I shall raise another five thousand and put them under your daughter's command" Doran said happily.

"Thank you brother, we shall finally be able to avenge Elia and her children" Oberyn grinned, to hich Doran gave a slight grin. "The Lannisters shall soon learn that they are not the only ones who pay their debts."


End file.
